The changing landscape of college basketball has, at least in part, contributed to the exodus of several Hall of Fame coaches. Jay Wright, Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams and Tony Bennett all parted ways last week.
The advent of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal is thought to have led to them ceasing operations, with Bennett saying the sport was “not in a healthy situation” and was in need of “change”. said it was necessary.
“I think I had the ability to work here the old-fashioned way,” Bennett, 55, said.
Rick Pitino isn't about to add to that perplexing trend, even though he recently turned 72, pointing to one major contributing factor.
“If there's something very exciting about retirement, that's not a bad thing, but as someone who's been coaching for as long as I have, I can't live without teaching young players how to play the game. ” the St. John’s coach said. at the Garden on Wednesday during Big East Media Day. “From my perspective, I took a year off and didn't enjoy it.”
Pitino got a glimpse of life without a coach. Life without basketball.
After being fired as Louisville's manager in October 2017, he spent a year primarily in Miami.
It was a good life. But that wasn't how he wanted to live.
“It was so nostalgic,” the two-time U.S. champion said. “I got a chance to realize what it would be like without it, and I didn't really like it.”
Pitino joked that instead of making home visits when recruiting, he now goes straight to the negotiating table.
The new terrain seems to suit him and St. John's.
That allowed him to put together a strong roster in his first season after taking over at Queen's, and the Johnnies won 20 games and finished fifth in the Big East despite being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament. .
St. John's is expected to not have to worry about the selection committee this offseason.
Pitino acquired two top guards in the transfer portal in Cadary Richmond (Seton Hall) and Davon Smith (Utah), while also acquiring a core of juniors in Zuby Ejiofor and RJ Lewis, as well as sophomores. were able to put together Simeon Wilcher and Brady Dunlap.
“I'm a big supporter of the NIL. We've been paid millions of dollars over the years and the players haven't gotten anything and I think that's completely unfair.” Pitino said. “We were able to move, and they were stuck. … When I started coaching, when NIL wasn't legal, there were a lot of programs that ran NIL. Now they're all legal. I like the fact that they're professional athletes who are being treated like educated professional athletes. That's the ball game.”
Pitino maintains his health, which has allowed him to remain active at his current age. He wakes up before 6 a.m. to run on the treadmill, and Richmond always sees him on the elliptical before and after practice.
“He goes after it,” Richmond said with a smile.
Pitino still personally runs his famous skill development sessions in addition to his practices. It's a workout that Richmond raved about for its attention to detail and consistent intensity.
Ejiofor said Pitino's passion and love for coaching is evident in how hard he coaches his players and the amount of time he spends coaching them.
That extends beyond the court as well. He meets with donors multiple times a week to raise money for NIL. It's hard to believe that the legendary coach is 72 years old.
“In some ways, it’s taking me more time today because of the NIL, but if I can get through this and stay healthy, I think I’m going to continue coaching until the day I die,” Pitino said. “How many more years can I stay healthy?” That’s the name of the game. ”
“I think I'm better today than I've ever been in my coaching career because I don't let the little things get me down,” he continued. “That's a necessary evil in order to get by in coaching today. It's not just me being out of shape because of the NIL, it's making the retiring coach out of shape. That doesn't bother me at all. go out and raise money.”
When asked how long he would be able to coach at St. John's, Pitino said that in an ideal world, he would like to extend it at some point. He has five years left on his contract (including this year).
He's excited about the new team and the additions St. John's has made, from a new weight room to meeting and movie rooms to a fueling room for the team. A new state-of-the-art practice facility is under construction.
Of course, as he mentioned, health will be a factor in how long he stays on the sideline.
However, there is no doubt that the current situation in the game, which has seen top coaches forced out, will influence that decision. He's not going anywhere.
